Target practice on private property.

22 posts in this topic

Got a question....Last weekeend I went to my Uncle's farm in SW Minnesota. We shot off about 80-90 rounds with handgun and my 30-30. We shot low targets into a wide hill. All of our bullets hit dirt well within 20 yards behind our target.

My Uncle told me that later that day, one of his neighbors told him that it was illegal to shoot a deer rifle out there. He said a shotgun and handgun was OK. I guess I wasn't aware of any laws that prohibited rifle discharge on rural private property in Minnesota that doesn't include river and stream banks, and protected areas.

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The only time rifle use is prohibited on private property is when you are using it for deer hunting in a shotgun zone.

The only other thing to consider is how close you may have been to the neighbors dwelling because proximity laws still apply. It sounds like you were being safe in your shooting so I think the best thing would be to talk to your neighbor about it.

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I think the only law on this is the 500 foot law...that states that you may not discharge a firearm within 500 feet of a residence...(occupied building)...without permission... So, that means that if someone lives right next to your property or public property where you may be hunting or shooting, you better make sure you have permission or are at least 500 feet from whatever the "legal" description is of "where" that distance is measured...from the edge of the yard? from the edge of the property?....Best to just get the permission...

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Yes, your right Jake...I knew I'd read it somewhere and it was in the MN trespass law....That being said...I still think it would be "wise" to ask permission before you set up a target and started shooting within 500 feet of either of these situations...

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Subd. 7.Taking with firearms in certain areas.(a) A person may not take a wild animal with a firearm within 500 feet of a building occupied by a human or livestock without the written permission of the owner, occupant, or lessee:

(1) on another person's private land; or

(2) on a public right-of-way.

( A person may not take a wild animal with a firearm without the permission of the owner, occupant, or lessee, within 500 feet of a stockade or corral containing livestock.

Note that this statute prohibits taking game, not discharging a firearm. There are a lot of local laws about discharging firearms and so it isn't easy to answer the simple question about where you can/can't target practice.

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If it were my land, I would shoot if I want to. You have to respect the neighbors land from shots going off of your land. We don't have very many close farms where I live, so never had a problem with that. Hunting here within 440 yards of somebodys house is not legal.

I will get the archery, and go whenever I feel like it... I like that! But first I will work on getting my son onto another bird. I really like the changes that the DNR have implemented the last few years!

Yes, it's sad that people push the limits without being prepared. People are anxious to get out. I checked this lake tonight and I think I was the third person to set foot on the ice already. The first spud check was already frozen solid.